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Makes History: Highest-Ever Chart Debut for an R&B Artist
For the second week in a row, Usher’s fifth album in his ten-year career, Confessions, was No. 1 on the Billboard 200, keeping Janet Jackson’s Damita Jo at bay for its debut on the countdown at No. 2 with 381,000 copies. Usher made record-breaking history by having the highest-ever chart debut by an R&B artist (R.Kelly’s TP-2.com of 2000 debuted with 543,000 copies and Destiny’s Child Survivor of 2001 debuted with 663,000), the second-highest debut by a male artist (behind Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP of 2000), the seventh-highest debut since the 13-year Nielsen Soundscan era (behind N’Sync, Eminem, Backstreet Boys, and Britney Spears, the highest first-week figure of any Arista Records release since Notorious B.I.G.’s 1997 Life After Death, 689,000 copies, and Whitney Houston’s The Bodyguard soundtrack that sold more than 1 million copies in December 1992, and sold three times the first-week totals of is previous releases combined. U.S. sales of Usher dropped in a typical second week decline, 56%. The 486,000 copies tallied by Soundscan made Usher’s two-week count 1.58 million.
More popular than ever, Usher attributes his longevity to building anticipation and not becoming overexposed. He drops an album every couple of years to give fans time to miss him. He also acknowledges that it was the combined effect of all his past albums, the support of people in is life, and being open to working with new people.
What does Mr. Entertainment have to say about making history?
“See what happens when you put your faith in R&B?”
(Score 3.98). Usher's latest release, Confessions, is worth the rush to go out and buy it because "Yeah!" drove you to it. Usher, 25, lives up to his word that this album is straight R&B, that is definitely missing in today's mass market conformity to hip-hop. He sounds like the late '80s brothas that crooned to us across the air waves. His voice reminds me of somebody, I just can't put my finger on it. I'll have to dust off my old albums (lol). You know. Ready for the World. Surface. I know, you young'ns are clueless, right? Who are they?) And of course there are joints that can't help but be Prince, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson-inspired.
Confessions, expansive and experimental, is his evolution as an artist and a man. Usher's all-grown up this time around, abandoning his squeaky-clean, boy next door image. He tries out new flows and high notes. Despite admitting that Confessions is somewhat personal, Usher hedges that it is a theme (Pandora's Box, skeletons in the closet) and should not be taken as an autobiography of his life.
Usher’s crusade to restore R&B is off to a head-start. With too many artists piggy-backing off of hip-hop, the state of rhythm and blues was looking dismal before Confessions. On his albums you will hear the influence of Marvin Gaye, Prince, Stevie Wonder . . . and of course, the gloved one . . Michael Jackson. He says R&B is soul, experience, and emotion. The drenching, crying kind. Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Bobby Womack, Sam Cooke. The funk. James Brown.
Other R&B artists keeping it real, minus the “cars, clothes, hoes, money and wheels spinning”: R.Kelly and Beyonce’.
The best production are the tracks by Jermaine Dupri, Lil' John, and Just Blaze. Distributed by Arista Records. Executive Producers: Usher Raymond and Antonio "L.A." Reid.
"Futuristic R&B." Massive radio airplay and video coverage. His hip-hop collaboration, “crunk R&B,” wasn’t intended to be a first single. It was supposed to be teaser for street DJs and mixtapes. Ludacris predicts that “Yeah!” will be the song of the year. Since November 2003, it has had massive exposure on mixtapes, in the clubs, and on the airwaves. Ironically, it was not on the original album Usher submitted to his record label. The video, directed by Usher and Mr. X (formerly Little X) hyped the song out of this stratosphere with a dance smorgasbord reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s Rock With You video in front of laser lights. Produced by Lil' John. Sample lyric: "Cause on a scale of 1 to a 10 she's a certified 20"
"Soulful Rock and Roll." About missing a good thing after it's gone. The "I wish, if only if" jam. Featuring samples from the Dionne Warwick recording "You're Gonna Need Me." Produced by Just Blaze. Sample lyric: "If I could rewind the time and get inside your mind, I would take back all my words."
With the rumor mill swirling about the reasons for his make-up to break-up relationship with Chili, Burn feeds the controversy. It’s juicy, about a cheating heart and fathering a love child with “the other woman.” Is he somebody's baby daddy? He says no, it's just art. Produced by Jermaine Dupri. Sample lyric: "My chick on the side said she got one on the way."
This is a signature Usher track about breakups and letting a relationship "flame out." Produced by Jermaine Dupri. Sample lyric: "I'm twisted 'cause one side of me, Is tellin' me that I need to move on, On the other side I wanna break down and cry."
Late '80s feel with a Ready for the World vibe. Contains samples from "Mack's Stroll/The Getaway (Chase Scene). Produced by Andre Harris and Vidal Davis. Sample lyric: "I been your groupie, baby, 'cause you are my superstar, I'm your number one fan, give me your autograph, sign it right here on my heart."
Produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Sample lyric: "Punch me in my face, pull the hot grits out . . a guilty conscience is the real reason I wrote this song."
Produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Sample lyric: "Why do you make something so easy so complicated, searchin' for what's right in front of your face."
Produced by Destro Music/Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Sample lyric: "Ooh, work me baby, shakin' it the way I like, I'm ready to be bad, I need a bad girl."
Produced Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
Prince-ish. Produced by Thicke and Pro J.
Rick James/Prince Purple Rain vibe. Produced by Jermaine Dupri. Sample lyric: "and you put that ooh wee on me."
This had to be a thrown on song. They should have left it on the editing floor. Produced by Rich Harrison.
Produced by Andre Harris and Vidal Davis. Sample lyric: "Ooh, I can't believe it, you came just in time with what I needed."
I'm trippen off your review of USHER because me and my boyfriend were discussing the album and said almost the exact same thing! (except, I like Take Your Hand, hahahah)
Caught UP= Michael Jackson and I'm sorry, but Do it to Me is a TOTAL RIP OFF OF PRINCE'S BEAUTIFUL ONE'S. The intro is almost identical to the point that Prince (probably is) should be pissed at JD.
Nice review!
~V~
Note to reader: Take Your Hand has grown on me with time :) Also, some of the other cuts, I originally rated low. Peace and God Bless
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